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How to nutritiously UP net calories?
colbiegirl
Posts: 138
I started dieting at 190 lbs, and now I'm down to about 130 lbs. To get there, I had to make some HUGE diet changes. (Look at my food diary if you want.) Now that I'm getting closer to the 120 lbs I want to be, I think it's time I start upping my net calories. I usually eat about 600-700 calories a day and work off about 230 +. My mom is worried about me a little bit because my hair has been thinning and my nails have been cracking from the lack of all the bad oils and what not. I think I'm also missing a lot of protiens and stuff. When I look to see how much I'll weigh if I "ate like that everyday" it says 115 lbs in 5 weeks. Not that that isn't great or anything, but I think it's time to up my net calories. Any suggestions on how to do it nutritiously or pointers? Any info. is great as long as you don't put me down for eating so little. It works for me because I'm full and eat every 4 hours, but I definitely need a bigger change. 
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Replies
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I must say I agree with your mom. That is way too low a calorie count. You need to up your calories and take a little more time to lose. What good is skinny it your dead.0
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You should try to eat at least 1200 calories, and I think NET 1200 actually. Eat nuts, eggs, steak, chicken, fish (salmon is nice and higher fat), cheese, yogurt, olive oil, avocado, natural peanut butter. Take fish oil and vitamins to help your hair and nails.0
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What I advice to people who get too full easily, is to stop eating 'diet' food. If you can't eat that much, then don't drink skim milk, diet pop, etc. Drink 2% milk, eat whole cottage cheese, regular organic yogurt, etc..... I am not saying eat a bunch of junk, or drink regular pop. But some 100% juice every now and then would be fine.0
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at 600 to 700 calories you're missing a lot of everything, it's physically impossible to get your micronutrient needs (supplements won't cut it) met with that diet. my recommendation would be to slowly (about 100 calories at a time per 2 weeks) raise them up to a minimum of 1200 to 1400 calories. Don't worry about weight gain, that's not going to be a problem. Focus on nutrient dense foods, nuts, legumes, fruits, dairy. Don't cut the fats out, fats are important, and probably a reason why the change is noticeable, fat soluble vitamins are useless without the fat to transport them.0
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Your diary is not public so I don't know what your eating style is.
You probably want to begin by adding 100 - 200 calories per day and do that each week until you hit at least 1200 calories.
Your body is not going to be adapted to eating a bunch more food at once and it may make you nauseous and want to give up.
Slowly start eating some more protein with each meal and a healthy fat. Fruit and veggies.
If you eat grains, add a 1/2 cup with dinner to start. Or sweet potatoes.
Like another poster said, stick with real foods packed with nutrition.
I wish you the best of health. :flowerforyou:0 -
I think I made it public now. Check it out if you can!0
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I would slowly up your net calories by 100 or 200 every week, or every other week until you reach your BMR.
To do this, eat high fiber, high protein and healthy fat foods. Try to not make your additional calories processed or junky foods, because that will just get you back to where you started.
High protein:
-low sodium tuna
-grilled tilapia, chicken, fish, lean beef
-egg beaters or eggs
-nonfat, plain greek yogurt
High fiber:
-kashi go lean cereal
-high fiber tortillas
-apples
-vegetables
-oatmeal
Healthy fats:
-avocados
-almonds
-peanut butter (without added sugars)
Hope this helps!
Specific comments to your diary:
- Replace the cream cheese with a tbsp of peanut butter
- Add a protein like egg beaters or tuna to your snack
- Add a healthy fat to your lunch or dinner (can't remember which one... lol) like handful of almonds0 -
I started dieting at 190 lbs, and now I'm down to about 130 lbs. To get there, I had to make some HUGE diet changes. (Look at my food diary if you want.) Now that I'm getting closer to the 120 lbs I want to be, I think it's time I start upping my net calories. I usually eat about 600-700 calories a day and work off about 230 +. My mom is worried about me a little bit because my hair has been thinning and my nails have been cracking from the lack of all the bad oils and what not. I think I'm also missing a lot of protiens and stuff. When I look to see how much I'll weigh if I "ate like that everyday" it says 115 lbs in 5 weeks. Not that that isn't great or anything, but I think it's time to up my net calories. Any suggestions on how to do it nutritiously or pointers? Any info. is great as long as you don't put me down for eating so little. It works for me because I'm full and eat every 4 hours, but I definitely need a bigger change.
I went through the same thing but I was eating 800 cals a day and working some of those off. I upped my calls to 1300 cuz everyone told me to up my cals to get over my plateau but i'm still not losing. I have decided to raise mine to 1600 and to eat my exercise cals on top of that and see if that works. It sucks cuz you get so used to eating so little that the thought of eating more is kinda stressful. I have to load up on high cal meals to get my cals in.0 -
I would slowly up your net calories by 100 or 200 every week, or every other week until you reach your BMR.
To do this, eat high fiber, high protein and healthy fat foods. Try to not make your additional calories processed or junky foods, because that will just get you back to where you started.
High protein:
-low sodium tuna
-grilled tilapia, chicken, fish, lean beef
-egg beaters or eggs
-nonfat, plain greek yogurt
High fiber:
-kashi go lean cereal
-high fiber tortillas
-apples
-vegetables
-oatmeal
Healthy fats:
-avocados
-almonds
-peanut butter (without added sugars)
Hope this helps!
Specific comments to your diary:
- Replace the cream cheese with a tbsp of peanut butter
- Add a protein like egg beaters or tuna to your snack
- Add a healthy fat to your lunch or dinner (can't remember which one... lol) like handful of almonds
That's really what I was thinking about doing. It's sooo hard because I'm so used to eating so little! Thanks for your help, it's just what I needed!0 -
I would slowly up your net calories by 100 or 200 every week, or every other week until you reach your BMR.
To do this, eat high fiber, high protein and healthy fat foods. Try to not make your additional calories processed or junky foods, because that will just get you back to where you started.
High protein:
-low sodium tuna
-grilled tilapia, chicken, fish, lean beef
-egg beaters or eggs
-nonfat, plain greek yogurt
High fiber:
-kashi go lean cereal
-high fiber tortillas
-apples
-vegetables
-oatmeal
Healthy fats:
-avocados
-almonds
-peanut butter (without added sugars)
Hope this helps!
Specific comments to your diary:
- Replace the cream cheese with a tbsp of peanut butter
- Add a protein like egg beaters or tuna to your snack
- Add a healthy fat to your lunch or dinner (can't remember which one... lol) like handful of almonds
That's really what I was thinking about doing. It's sooo hard because I'm so used to eating so little! Thanks for your help, it's just what I needed!
Good luck!0
This discussion has been closed.
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